This September, Croydon invites visitors to uncover the architecture, stories, people and places that have shaped the borough, as Open House Festival returns from 12 to 20 September. Through free events, exhibitions, tours and creative activities, the festival offers a chance to learn about Croydon’s historic landmarks, iconic modernist architecture and the communities that have shaped its streets for centuries.
This year’s festival coincides with a major new exhibition at the Museum of Croydon. Shaping Croydon: Architecture and Ambition opens on Saturday 12 September, tracing the evolution of Croydon’s skyline and the bold planning ideas that have shaped the town centre over the decades. Featuring contemporary photography, archival material and future-facing displays from Croydon Urban Room, the exhibition offers a deeper look at the architectural innovation that defines the borough.
South London artist Vic Lee has been commissioned to create a new 18m mural celebrating the 750th anniversary of Croydon’s Street Market. Granted by Royal Charter in 1276, the market ran in the triangle around what we now know as Surrey Street and is one of the oldest continuous markets in London. The mural will bring this remarkable history to life with bold illustration, sharing the surprising stories, facts and memories gathered from the market’s past. Heritage continues across the festival with guided tours of Croydon’s historic pubs led by public historian Charo Havermans, exploring the buildings, traditions and local characters that have shaped these institutions over time.
The festival opens with Build / Play / Shape, a two-day programme of interactive events and activities for families and young adults in The Queen’s Gardens. The weekend invites visitors of all ages to explore the borough’s past, present and future through hands on making, creative challenges and imaginative play.
The programme includes Pif Paf Theatre’s Right to Play; a touring adventure playground where children can build and design clambering frames, dens and a mud kitchen for the younger ones. Architects Matt + Fiona present a large-scale skyline made from cardboard, allowing visitors to design and create their own Croydon and In Situ’s Croydon Space Station reimagines the town centre’s space age architecture as spacecraft models. Creative Quests’ Curiosity Rover offers creative challenges that encourage families to explore their surroundings and their community through fresh eyes.
The Caravan Gallery brings its mobile art project. Founded in 2000, the gallery has spent 26 years touring the United Kingdom and internationally, working at the intersection of documentary photography, community engagement and contemporary art. For Open House, they will bring a new Croydon exhibition displaying photographs from across the borough, capturing its architecture, streetscapes and community stories.
Artist Max Yasmin invites visitors to contribute and experience the collective hopes and fears of their local community through an interactive public artwork.
Other featured Croydon sites offering tours and workshops include Whitgift Almshouses, Stanley Arts, Fairfield Halls, and the Norman Fisher Observatory, each offering a unique lens into Croydon’s architectural identity and heritage.
